DR ‹ › Ramon Fernandez-Pacheco, Andalusia's Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, and head of the People's Party list for Almeria in the May 17 regional elections, has called for «seriousness» in the implementation of trade agreements with third countries. He described the issue of tomatoes linked to the agreement with Morocco as a «painful case» for farmers in Almeria. Speaking at a media event organized by Europa Press in Andalusia, he said the agricultural sector in Almeria is not opposed to market competition, but rejects competing under unequal conditions. Farmers, he added, «cannot compete with their hands tied behind their backs». Fernandez-Pacheco also raised concerns about the labeling of tomatoes from the Sahara as Moroccan, describing the practice as «unacceptable». He claimed that a significant share of production comes from the territory, where, in his words, «Morocco's sovereignty has not yet received international recognition», and warned that the EU-Morocco trade agreement could be used to bring these products into the European market. He further pointed to what he described as exceeding import quotas for Moroccan tomatoes, arguing that breaches are often identified too late to take effective action. He called for stricter enforcement, urging authorities to halt imports immediately once quotas are reached: «If the quota is ten and it reaches 10.1, imports should be stopped immediately», he said.
